(a) Field of The Invention
This invention relates to exercise devices and, in particular, to such devices capable of being used in the palm of one's hand to exercise the hand and the fingers and thumb.
(b) Description Of The Prior Art
The good working of one's fingers is not only desirable to all, it is essential to many professionals and technicians who need to be skillful with their fingers and hands, e.g., surgeons, pianists, ball players, typists and word processors.
Oftentimes, the working of one's fingers is reduced or made more difficult due to injury, such as broken bones, or surgery on one's hand, wrist or forearm, or because of arthritis.
In these and other such situations, it is sometimes desirable to provide exercises for the fingers and hand. As a result, over the years various exercise devices have been developed whereby one can exercise his/her fingers and hands. These devices find not only therapeutic uses but are useful, in general, to strengthen one's fingers and hand grip and to provide better manual dexterity. Exemplary of these prior art devices are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,026,215; 3,779,548; 4,278,248; and 4,577,858, and in British Patent No. 550,961.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,026,215, which issued on May 14, 1912, discloses a device comprising the combination of a grip dumb-bell with a hand grip exerciser with a view to providing the desired weight, a spring member connecting the two with each other. Thus, when used as a hand exerciser, the device will cause an alternate tension and relaxation of the muscles of the hand, wrist and arm. The squeezing of the fingers on the handles of the hand exerciser, nevertheless, exercises only the flexors of the fingers. No other hand motion is provided, i.e., there is no range of motion provided for the fingers and thumb. As disclosed by the patentee, the dumb-bell is detachable from the device and can be used as a dumb-bell by itself, if desired. If more weight is desired, two dumb-bells can be connected together according to the patentee, and can readily be taken hold of in one hand by the user. Nevertheless, the two dumb-bells when used together are interlocked and are not capable of being rotated by the user one over the other.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,548 discloses a finger training apparatus. This apparatus comprises a grip portion to be held in the palm of one's hand, and a forked portion. The forked portion supports two elongated rollers in spaced-apart relationship to one another on the ends of each of which is located a gear, the two gears being in intermeshing engagement, one with the other. The peripheral surface of each of the rollers is provided with longitudinally extending grooves which facilitates engagement of the fingers with the rollers in use of the apparatus. Thus, this apparatus provides a limited range of motion. Nevertheless, the resistance and ability to vary resistance cannot be determined. The elongated rollers, moreover, are in fixed location relative to one another and cannot be rotated one over the other.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,248 there is disclosed a rhythm indicating exercising device for use by those engaged in aggressive walking exercise. The device, in general, comprises a tubular member in the internal bore of which is located a weighted mass. The weighted mass is caused to hit the stop provided at the ends of the tubular member as one's arm changes its direction of swing while walking, causing an impact sound. Thus, the person is enabled to establish and maintain an appropriate rhythmic swing of the arms to coincide with the cadence of the footstep. In use of the device, as disclosed by the patentee, one such device is grasped in the hand, or preferably, a pair of the tubular members are held, one in each hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,858 discloses a fingertip exerciser comprising two balls each having a bore extending centrally therethrough and a connection inserted through the bores of the two balls and rotatably connecting the balls together. In use, the balls rotate on their own axis independent of one another and are incapable of being rotated one over the other.
British Patent No. 550,961 discloses improved grip dumb-bells whereby the resistance to grip may be varied. Thus, the dumb-bell disclosed comprises an interchangable core of a rigid or resilient substance, as desired, whereby the resistance to grip can be varied.
Other exercise devices known heretofore for use in one's hand are disclosed in Black Belt, July, 1986, at page 54, and in Popular Mechanics, November, 1983, at page 44. Both of these articles disclose spherical members or balls, to be grasped in the palm of one's hand, and to be rotated, or otherwise manipulated by the fingers.